Second Bank of the United States

Second Bank of the United States is a masterpiece of Greek Revival architecture that served as the nation's central bank from 1816 to 1836 and stands today as one of the most important examples of classical architecture in America. Designed by William Strickland and completed in 1824, the building on Chestnut Street in Independence National Historical Park presents marble facades modeled on the Parthenon, its Doric columns announcing the young republic's cultural ambitions through architectural form. The bank's history encompasses the era's most consequential financial and political debates, while its architecture demonstrates how Philadelphia led the nation in adapting classical precedents to American purposes.

Design

William Strickland's design for the Second Bank drew directly from ancient Greek sources, making it one of the first American buildings to employ archaeological accuracy in classical reference. The north and south facades present octastyle Doric porticoes—eight columns across—modeled on the Parthenon's proportions, though executed in Pennsylvania marble rather than Pentelic stone. The choice of Greek rather than Roman precedent carried political meaning, associating the new American republic with Athenian democracy rather than Roman empire. The building's success established Greek Revival as the preferred style for American public buildings and launched Strickland's career as Philadelphia's leading architect.

The interior originally contained banking halls whose barrel-vaulted ceilings and classical detailing matched the exterior's dignity. Teller windows, offices, and vaults occupied a plan organized around central halls that provided natural light through skylights. The building's fireproof construction—masonry vaults and iron beams—demonstrated concern for protecting the nation's financial records. Though the interior has been modified for museum use, the exterior remains essentially unchanged, preserving Strickland's vision of classical perfection adapted to American banking purposes.

Bank War

The Second Bank of the United States became the focus of the most significant political conflict of Andrew Jackson's presidency. Nicholas Biddle, the bank's president from 1823, made the institution a powerful force in American finance, regulating state banks and managing the nation's money supply. Jackson opposed the bank as unconstitutional and as an institution that concentrated too much power in too few hands. The "Bank War" that ensued—with Jackson vetoing the bank's recharter and withdrawing federal deposits—defined the era's political alignments and established precedents for executive power that shape American government to this day.

When the bank's federal charter expired in 1836, it continued briefly as a Pennsylvania-chartered institution before failing in the Panic of 1839. The building passed through various uses, including service as a customhouse from 1845 to 1935. This period preserved the structure when many contemporary buildings faced demolition. The building's transition from bank to customhouse to museum demonstrates how significant architecture can survive changing circumstances when adapted to new purposes.

Current Use

The Second Bank building now houses the Portrait Gallery of the Second Bank of the United States, part of Independence National Historical Park. The gallery displays portraits of prominent Americans from the Revolutionary and Federal periods, including works by Charles Willson Peale, Gilbert Stuart, and other important early American artists. The collection, originally assembled by Peale for his museum, provides appropriate content for a building whose own history encompasses the founding generation. Visitors encounter both significant architecture and significant art in a setting that illuminates early American history.

The building's location within Independence National Historical Park places it in context with other buildings from the nation's founding period. Independence Hall, Congress Hall, and other structures create an ensemble that represents American governmental and cultural origins. The Second Bank's Greek Revival architecture contrasts with the Georgian Colonial style of earlier buildings, demonstrating the stylistic shift that occurred as the republic matured. The building thus tells multiple stories: architectural innovation, financial history, and political conflict, all within one classical structure.

See Also

• Greek Revival Architecture
• William Strickland
• Independence National Historical Park
• Philadelphia Merchants Exchange